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77-474: W50 may refer to: W50 (nuclear warhead) , a nuclear weapon Hokusei Station , in Hokkaido, Japan IFA W 50 , an East German truck Westerhout 50 , a supernova remnant W50, a classification in masters athletics W50, a Toyota W transmission [REDACTED] Topics referred to by the same term This disambiguation page lists articles associated with

154-461: A 1955 proposal that became the Nike Zeus missile. Bell Telephone Laboratories were tasked with evaluating future air defense problems in the 1960 to 1970 time frame, which led to the Nike Zeus proposal. This study showed that a nuclear warhead was mandatory to defeat threats such as Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) moving at 24,000 feet per second (7,300 m/s), and that even with

231-626: A 50-kilotonne-of-TNT (210 TJ) warhead, the maximum possible kill distance to a target was still quite low. The assistant secretary of defense was anxious to establish an early anti-ballistic missile capability and requested that the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC - now the Department of Energy) work with the army on a feasibility study of suitable nuclear warheads for Nike Zeus. This group first met in June 1957. The missile

308-463: A Category A PAL for use control. The XW-50-X1 warhead tested in Dominic Aztec used a spherical secondary stage, which in a 1962 document is described as: This weapon was originally designed with a [redacted] to relate more closely to a tested device, but a decision was made to go to a more efficient spherical secondary. The effect of these departures should be experimentally verified. There

385-467: A broad range of scientific and technical disciplines, applying current capabilities to existing programs and developing new science and technologies to meet future national needs. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has worked out several energy technologies in the field of coal gasification , shale oil extraction , geothermal energy , advanced battery research , solar energy , and fusion energy . Main oil shale processing technologies worked out by

462-491: A contractual obligation to terminate the employees only for "reasonable cause." The five plaintiffs also have pending age discrimination claims against LLNS, which will be heard by a different jury in a separate trial. There are 125 co-plaintiffs awaiting trial on similar claims against LLNS. The May 2008 layoff was the first layoff at the laboratory in nearly 40 years. On March 14, 2011, the City of Livermore officially expanded

539-457: A diameter of 18 inches (460 mm) and a length of 50 inches (1,300 mm) was proposed. In June 1958, the DMA then suggested that a single warhead be developed for Nike Zeus, Minuteman, Pershing and Hopi (a short lived air-to-surface missile proposal). This suggestion was accepted. The proposed specifications for this "universal warhead" were a diameter of 12 to 14 inches (300 to 360 mm),

616-426: A few minutes instead of the days to weeks previously required for DNA analysis. Today, Livermore researchers address a spectrum of threats – radiological/nuclear, chemical, biological, explosives, and cyber. They combine physical and life sciences, engineering, computations, and analysis to develop technologies that solve real-world problems. Activities are grouped into five programs: LLNL supports capabilities in

693-445: A length of 38 to 44 inches (970 to 1,120 mm) and a weight of 350 pounds (160 kg). During 1958, candidate nuclear warhead designs were tested by Los Alamos during Operation Hardtack I . These included the shots Tobacco (30 May 1958, 11.6 kilotonnes of TNT (49 TJ)), Sequoia (1 July 1958, 5.2 kilotonnes of TNT (22 TJ)) and Pisonia (17 July 1958, 255 kilotonnes of TNT (1,070 TJ)). Tests of missile components against

770-576: A long history of developing high performance computing software and systems, focusing on creating highly complex physics models, visualization codes, and other unique applications tailored to specific research requirements. LLNL-developed software projects optimize the operation and management of the computer systems, including operating systems such as NLTSS or TOSS (Tri-Laboratory Operating System Stack), software build and installation tools such as Spack , and resource management packages such as Flux and SLURM . LLNL also initiated and continues leading

847-406: A number of California State agencies, and private industry. For Fiscal Year 2009 LLNL spent $ 1.497 billion on research and laboratory operations activities: Research/Science Budget: Site Management/Operations Budget: The LLNL director is appointed by the board of governors of Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC (LLNS) and reports to the board. The laboratory director also serves as

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924-659: A result, its first three nuclear tests were unsuccessful. The lab persevered and its subsequent designs proved increasingly successful. In 1957, the Livermore Lab was selected to develop the warhead for the Navy's Polaris missile . This warhead required numerous innovations to fit a nuclear warhead into the relatively small confines of the missile nosecone. During the Cold War , many Livermore-designed warheads entered service. These were used in missiles ranging in size from

1001-614: A rework of the W47 warhead while the 350-pound (160 kg) warhead would be provided by the XW-50. In December 1958, it was felt that Nike Zeus could accept a warhead up to 400 pounds (180 kg) and it was suggested that the warhead weight be increased. Subsequently, the air force decided to examine other warheads for Minuteman such as the W56 , and the Hopi application was dropped. In mid-June 1959,

1078-435: A sample at any given time. Experiments are being conducted at LLNL and elsewhere to measure the structural, electrical and chemical properties of plutonium and its alloys and to determine how these materials change over time. Such measurements will enable scientists to better model and predict plutonium's long-term behavior in the aging stockpile. The Lab's plutonium research is conducted in a specially designed facility called

1155-453: A science magnet in high-energy-density (i.e., laser) physics . In addition, most of its special nuclear material would be removed and consolidated at a more central, yet-to-be-named site. On September 30, 2009, the NNSA announced that about two thirds of the special nuclear material (e.g., plutonium) at LLNL requiring the highest level of security protection had been removed from LLNL. The move

1232-448: A seventh governor who is appointed by Battelle; they are non-voting and advisory to the executive committee. The remaining board positions are known as independent governors (also referred to as outside governors), and are selected from among individuals, preferably of national stature, and can not be employees or officers of the partner companies. The University of California-appointed chair has tie-breaking authority over most decisions of

1309-409: A warhead meeting all four system requirements could be furnished with an operational availability date of late 1961. Sandia were responsible for design of the electrical systems in the Nike Zeus warhead, which was now assigned the name XW-50 . This application required extreme miniaturization of components due to space limitations inside Nike Zeus and a parallel design using explosively actuated devices

1386-595: Is a federally funded research and development center in California , United States . Originally established in 1952, the laboratory now is sponsored by the United States Department of Energy and administered privately by Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC. The lab was originally established as the University of California Radiation Laboratory, Livermore Branch in 1952 in response to

1463-651: Is a research and development institution for science and technology applied to national security. Its principal responsibility is ensuring the safety, security and reliability of the nation's nuclear weapons through the application of advanced science, engineering, and technology. The laboratory also applies its special expertise and multidisciplinary capabilities towards preventing the proliferation and use of weapons of mass destruction , bolstering homeland security, and solving other nationally important problems, including energy and environmental needs, scientific research and outreach, and economic competitiveness. The laboratory

1540-729: Is concern that it will become increasingly difficult to maintain high confidence in the current warheads for the long term, the Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration initiated the Reliable Replacement Warhead (RRW) Program. RRW designs could reduce uncertainties, ease maintenance demands, and enhance safety and security. In March 2007, the LLNL design was chosen for the Reliable Replacement Warhead. Since that time, Congress has not allocated funding for any further development of

1617-511: Is located on a 1 sq. mi.(2.6 km ) site at the eastern edge of Livermore . It also operates a 7,000 acres (28 km ) remote experimental test site known as Site 300, situated about 15 miles (24 km) southeast of the main lab site. LLNL has an annual budget of about $ 2.7 billion and a staff of nearly 9,000 employees. LLNL was established in 1952, as the University of California Radiation Laboratory, Livermore Branch , an offshoot of

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1694-458: Is no substitute warhead available in this weight class. After launch, an inertial fuze received power from the Pershing second stage. This initiated a set of batteries prior to second stage separation. If the missile was on course and if the second stage separation occurred within 300 milliseconds of engine cutoff, the ignition circuit on a set of thermal batteries was enabled. The thermal battery

1771-551: Is organized into these functional areas/offices: The laboratory is organized into four principal directorates, each headed by a principal associate director: Three other directorates are each headed by a principal associate director who reports to the LLNL director: The LLNL director reports to the Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC (LLNS) board of governors, a group of key scientific, academic, national security and business leaders from

1848-797: The Lance surface-to-surface tactical missile to the megaton-class Spartan antiballistic missile . Over the years, LLNL designed the following warheads: W27 (Regulus cruise missile; 1955; joint with Los Alamos), W38 (Atlas/Titan ICBM; 1959), B41 (B52 bomb; 1957), W45 (Little John/Terrier missiles; 1956), W47 (Polaris SLBM; 1957), W48 (155-mm howitzer; 1957), W55 (submarine rocket; 1959), W56 (Minuteman ICBM; 1960), W58 (Polaris SLBM; 1960), W62 (Minuteman ICBM; 1964), W68 (Poseidon SLBM; 1966), W70 (Lance missile; 1969), W71 (Spartan missile; 1968), W79 (8-in. artillery gun; 1975), W82 (155-mm howitzer; 1978), B83 (modern strategic bomb; 1979), and W87 (LGM-118 Peacekeeper/MX ICBM; 1982). The W87 and

1925-555: The University of California , Bechtel , BWX Technologies , Amentum (company) , and Battelle Memorial Institute in affiliation with the Texas A&;M University System ). In 2012, the synthetic chemical element livermorium (element 116) was named after the laboratory. The Livermore facility was co-founded by Edward Teller and Ernest Lawrence , then director of the Radiation Laboratory at Berkeley. LLNL

2002-519: The W47 warhead for Polaris , and therefore believed that the Nike Zeus warhead should be assigned to Los Alamos. Formal authorization to develop a warhead for Nike Zeus was received on 3 March 1958. In March 1958, another application for the warhead was proposed on the Minuteman missile. Warheads of 300 pounds (140 kg) and 550 pounds (250 kg) were planned, and expected operational availability

2079-769: The W50 Mod 0 for Nike Zeus and the W50 Mod 1 for Pershing. However, no production of the W50-0 was authorized as the Nike Zeus was cancelled. Due to the need to divert firing sets for the approaching test series, production of the W50-1 was delayed until March 1963. Weapons development tests of the XW-50-X1 in Operation Dominic included Adobe (25 April 1962, 190 kilotonnes of TNT (790 TJ)) and Aztec (27 April 192, 410 kilotonnes of TNT (1,700 TJ)). The warhead

2156-538: The W50Y1 , W50Y2 and W50Y3 , with yields of 60, 200 and 400 kilotonnes of TNT (250, 840 and 1,670 TJ) respectively. The W50Y1 and W50Y3 are sometimes given as having yields of 40 and 440 kilotonnes of TNT (170 and 1,840 TJ) respectively. The 200-kilotonne-of-TNT (840 TJ) version of the warhead was for Nike Zeus, but was in use on Pershing 1a by 1991. The W50 lacked enhanced detonation safety systems and insensitive high explosives , and featured

2233-652: The B83 are the only LLNL designs still in the U.S. nuclear stockpile. With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the end of the Cold War , the United States began a moratorium on nuclear testing and development of new nuclear weapon designs. To sustain existing warheads for the indefinite future, a science-based Stockpile Stewardship Program (SSP) was defined that emphasized the development and application of greatly improved technical capabilities to assess

2310-479: The Berkeley lab until 1971. To this day, in official planning documents and records, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory is designated as Site 100, Lawrence Livermore National Lab as Site 200, and LLNL's remote test location as Site 300. The laboratory was renamed Lawrence Livermore Laboratory ( LLL ) in 1971. On October 1, 2007 Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC (LLNS) assumed management of LLNL from

2387-633: The DOE/NNSA Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation, as well as the Department of Homeland Security . LLNL also receives funding from DOE's Office of Science , Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management, and Office of Nuclear Energy . In addition, LLNL conducts work-for-others research and development for various Defense Department sponsors, other federal agencies, including NASA , Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), National Institutes of Health , and Environmental Protection Agency ,

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2464-479: The LLNS partner companies that jointly own and control LLNS. The LLNS board of governors has a total of 16 positions, with six of these governors constituting an executive committee. All decisions of the board are made by the governors on the executive committee. The other governors are advisory to the executive committee and do not have voting rights. The University of California is entitled to appoint three governors to

2541-718: The LVOC will consist of an approximately 110-acre parcel along the eastern edge of the Livermore Laboratory and Sandia sites, and will house additional conference space, collaboration facilities and a visitor center to support educational and research activities. Objectives of LVOC LLNL's principal sponsor is the Department of Energy / National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA) Office of Defense Programs, which supports its stockpile stewardship and advanced scientific computing programs. Funding to support LLNL's global security and homeland security work comes from

2618-714: The Lab had four main programs: Project Sherwood (the magnetic-fusion program), Project Whitney (the weapons-design program), diagnostic weapon experiments (both for the Los Alamos and Livermore laboratories), and a basic physics program. York and the new lab embraced the Lawrence "big science" approach, tackling challenging projects with physicists, chemists, engineers, and computational scientists working together in multidisciplinary teams. Lawrence died in August 1958 and shortly after,

2695-564: The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory are LLNL HRS (hot-recycled-solid), LLNL RISE ( in situ extraction technology) and LLNL radiofrequency technologies. Over its 60-year history, Lawrence Livermore has made many scientific and technological achievements, including: On July 17, 2009 LLNL announced that the Laboratory had received eight R&D 100 Awards – more than it had ever received in

2772-517: The Mod 0 for Nike Zeus and the Mod 1 for Pershing. Three yield options were available: the Y1 with 60 kilotonnes of TNT (250 TJ), Y2 with 200 kilotonnes of TNT (840 TJ), and Y3 with 400 kilotonnes of TNT (1,700 TJ). All variants were 15.4 inches (0.39 m) in diameter at the attachment flange and 44 inches (1.1 m) long, weighing 410 pounds (190 kg). The W50 warhead traces its origins to

2849-455: The RRW. LLNL conducts research into the properties and behavior of plutonium to learn how plutonium performs as it ages and how it behaves under high pressure (e.g., with the impact of high explosives). Plutonium has seven temperature-dependent solid allotropes . Each possesses a different density and crystal structure . Alloys of plutonium are even more complex; multiple phases can be present in

2926-600: The SuperBlock, with emphasis on safety and security. Work with highly enriched uranium is also conducted there. In March 2008, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) presented its preferred alternative for the transformation of the nation's nuclear weapons complex. Under this plan, LLNL would be a center of excellence for nuclear design and engineering, a center of excellence for high explosive research and development, and

3003-488: The University of California, which had exclusively managed and operated the Laboratory since its inception 55 years before. The laboratory was honored in 2012 by having the synthetic chemical element livermorium named after it. The LLNS takeover of the laboratory has been controversial. In May 2013, an Alameda County jury awarded over $ 2.7 million to five former laboratory employees who were among 430 employees LLNS laid off during 2008. The jury found that LLNS breached

3080-405: The annual competition. The previous LLNL record of seven awards was reached five times – in 1987, 1988, 1997, 1998 and 2006. Also known as the "Oscars of invention", the awards are given each year for the development of cutting-edge scientific and engineering technologies with commercial potential. The awards raise LLNL's total number of awards since 1978 to 129. On October 12, 2016, LLNL released

3157-620: The capability to self destruct, while Pershing required air and ground burst fuzing with contact preclusion for air burst, but no self-destruct. For Pershing, contact fuzing would be provided by contact crystals and a double-shell system. The military characteristics were released in September 1959 and included that the device be one-point safe; possess maximum protection against detonation by accident, saboteurs or "psychotics"; and would include an environmental safing device. The warhead would also contain no internal power source capable of arming

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3234-516: The city's boundaries to annex LLNL and move it within the city limits. The unanimous vote by the Livermore city council expanded Livermore's southeastern boundaries to cover 15 land parcels covering 1,057 acres (4.28 km ) that comprise the LLNL site. The site was formerly an unincorporated area of Alameda County. The LLNL campus continues to be owned by the federal government. From its inception, Livermore focused on new weapon design concepts; as

3311-607: The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. LLNL staff have been heavily involved in the cooperative nonproliferation programs with Russia to secure at-risk weapons materials and assist former weapons workers in developing peaceful applications and self-sustaining job opportunities for their expertise and technologies. In the mid-1990s, Lab scientists began efforts to devise improved biodetection capabilities, leading to miniaturized and autonomous instruments that can detect biothreat agents in

3388-451: The department of defense. Production continued until December 1965, with 280 warheads produced. At some point a W50 Mod 2 warhead was developed. W50-1 warheads were retired starting in April 1973 with the last W50-1 warheads removed from service in 1978. The last W50-2 warheads were retired in April 1991. The W50 was a two-stage , gas boosted , externally initiated design. The warhead

3465-408: The detonation of the Soviet Union 's first atomic bomb during the Cold War . It later became autonomous in 1971 and was designated a national laboratory in 1981. A federally funded research and development center , Lawrence Livermore Lab is primarily funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and it is managed privately and operated by Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC (a partnership of

3542-575: The development of ZFS on Linux, the official port of ZFS to the Linux operating system. In August 2009, a joint venture was announced between Sandia National Laboratories /California campus and LLNL to create an open, unclassified research and development space called the Livermore Valley Open Campus (LVOC). The motivation for the LVOC stems from current and future national security challenges that require increased coupling to

3619-509: The effects of nuclear explosions were conducted in the shot Cactus (5 May 1958, 18 kilotonnes of TNT (75 TJ)). As devices directly applicable to Pershing were being tested in Hardtack, it was decided that release of a study of two warheads being considered would be deferred until after the tests. The military characteristics for the Nike Zeus warhead were released in July 1958. The warhead

3696-552: The executive committee, including the chair. Bechtel is also entitled to appoint three governors to the executive committee, including the vice chair. One of the Bechtel governors must be a representative of Babcock & Wilcox (B&W) or the Washington Division of URS Corporation (URS), who is nominated jointly by B&W and URS each year, and who must be approved and appointed by Bechtel. The executive committee has

3773-429: The executive committee. The board of governors is the ultimate governing body of LLNS and is charged with overseeing the affairs of LLNS in its operations and management of LLNL. LLNS managers and employees who work at LLNL, up to and including the president and laboratory director, are generally referred to as laboratory employees. All laboratory employees report directly or indirectly to the LLNS president. While most of

3850-575: The existing University of California Radiation Laboratory at Berkeley . The lab at Livermore was intended to spur innovation and provide competition to the nuclear weapon design laboratory at Los Alamos in New Mexico , home of the Manhattan Project that developed the first atomic weapons . The Livermore facility was co-founded by Edward Teller and Ernest Lawrence , director of the Radiation Laboratory at Berkeley. The new laboratory

3927-415: The first fusion reactor to achieve breakeven on December 5, 2022, with an experiment producing 3.15 megajoules of energy from a 2.05 megajoule input of laser light for an energy gain of about 1.5. Throughout its history, LLNL has been a leader in computers and scientific computing. Even before the Livermore Lab opened its doors, E.O. Lawrence and Edward Teller recognized the importance of computing and

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4004-541: The following two years. The proposal to delay detailed warhead design until 1959 was accepted in late June 1957. Concurrently, interest in the proposed Pershing missile had increased and in January 1958, a meeting was held to discuss a nuclear warhead for the system. Operational availability was planned for July 1962 with flight tests starting in August 1960. Both Los Alamos and Lawrence Radiation Laboratory (now Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) stated that warheads in

4081-416: The mounting flange, 44 inches (1,100 mm) long and weighed 412 pounds (187 kg). In July 1962, Sandia concluded a study on incorporating a permissive action link (PAL) system into the warhead for Pershing use. Because of the limited space available, fitting a PAL required removal of the self-destruct system. Because of this it was decided that two different warhead mods would be provided in service:

4158-449: The nuclear design of the XW-50 was reviewed, and in late-June, the AEC was authorized to proceed with development of a nuclear warhead for Pershing. For the Pershing role, it was believed that no further nuclear tests would be required for the XW-50 and that the warhead would be available January 1963. Meanwhile, Sandia were working on firing devices. Nike Zeus required air burst fuzing and

4235-420: The parent companies. The LLNS executive committee is free to appoint officers or other managers of LLNS and LLNL, and may delegate its authorities as it deems appropriate to such officers, employees, or other representatives of LLNS/LLNL. The executive committee may also retain auditors, attorneys, or other professionals as necessary. For the most part the executive committee has appointed senior managers at LLNL as

4312-568: The potential of computational simulation. Their purchase of one of the first UNIVAC computers set the precedent for LLNL's history of acquiring and exploiting the fastest and most capable supercomputers in the world. A succession of increasingly powerful and fast computers have been used at the Lab over the years in support of the stockpile stewardship mission. LLNL researchers also use supercomputers to answer questions about subjects such as materials science simulations, climate change, reactions to natural disasters, and other physical phenomena. LLNL has

4389-491: The practical limits of warhead hardening needed to be performed. This included the requirement to perform many flight tests to establish reentry vehicle (RV) vulnerability. The earliest operational availability date was expected to be 1962. In the second phase, a warhead designed to meet the requirements determined in phase one would be developed. It was believed that specific warhead requirements should not be tied down as advantage should be taken of design improvements made over

4466-409: The president of LLNS. Over the course of its history, the following scientists have served as LLNL director: The LLNL director is supported by a senior executive team consisting of the deputy director, the deputy director for science and technology, principal associate directors, and other senior executives who manage areas/functions directly reporting to the laboratory director. The director's office

4543-422: The primary officers of LLNS. As a practical matter most operational decisions are delegated to the president of LLNS, who is also the laboratory director. The positions of president laboratory director and deputy laboratory director are filled by joint action of the chair and vice chair of the executive committee, with the University of California nominating the president and laboratory director and Bechtel nominating

4620-572: The private sector to understand threats and deploy solutions in areas such as high performance computing, energy and environmental security, cyber security, economic security, and non-proliferation. The LVOC is modeled after research and development campuses found at major industrial research parks and other U.S. Department of Energy laboratories with campus-like security, a set of business and operating rules devised to enhance and accelerate international scientific collaboration and partnerships with U.S. government agencies, industry and academia. Ultimately,

4697-471: The results of computerized modeling of Mars's moon Phobos , finding that it has a connection with keeping the Earth safe from asteroids. In December, 2022 scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory announced, in a breakthrough for fusion power technology, that they have used the technique of inertial confinement fusion to achieve a net gain of energy. The National Ignition Facility (NIF) became

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4774-705: The safety, security, and reliability of existing nuclear warheads without the use of nuclear testing. Confidence in the performance of weapons, without nuclear testing, is maintained through an ongoing process of stockpile surveillance, assessment and certification, and refurbishment or weapon replacement. With no new designs of nuclear weapons, the warheads in the U.S. stockpile must continue to function far past their original expected lifetimes. As components and materials age, problems can arise. Stockpile Life Extension Programs can extend system lifetimes, but they also can introduce performance uncertainties and require maintenance of outdated technologies and materials. Because there

4851-549: The same title formed as a letter–number combination. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=W50&oldid=1174462334 " Category : Letter–number combination disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages W50 (nuclear warhead) There were two major variants produced:

4928-484: The university's board of regents named both laboratories for him, as the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory . Historically, the Berkeley and Livermore laboratories have had very close relationships on research projects, business operations, and staff. The Livermore Lab was established initially as a branch of the Berkeley laboratory. The Livermore lab was not officially severed administratively from

5005-537: The warhead or charging the firing set. In August 1960 a new warhead design was underway: the XW-50-X1 , and in September field command notified Sandia that the designs of the XW-50 and XW-50-X1 were acceptable, despite a slight increase in diameter and an increase in length to 45 inches (1,100 mm). Production of the XW-50-X1 warhead was authorized in June 1961. It was 14 inches (360 mm) in diameter and 15 + 3 ⁄ 8 inches (390 mm) in diameter at

5082-544: The weight and yield requirements were possible on the given timescales. A feasibility study of the Pershing warhead was released in February 1958. The division of military application (DMA) expressed concern in February 1958 about the number of weapons programs that Livermore were working on with planned operational availabilities in the 1960 to 1962 time frame. They were concerned about Livermore's workload, specifically with planned acceleration and increased prioritization of

5159-415: The work performed by LLNL is funded by the federal government, laboratory employees are paid by LLNS, which is responsible for all aspects of their employment, including providing health care benefits and retirement programs. Within the board of governors, authority resides in the executive committee to exercise all rights, powers, and authorities of LLNS, excepting only certain decisions that are reserved to

5236-423: Was 2014. NNSA and LLNL developed a timeline to remove this material as early as possible, accelerating the target completion date to 2012. The Lab's work in global security aims to reduce and mitigate the dangers posed by the spread or use of weapons of mass destruction and by threats to energy and environmental security. Livermore has been working on global security and homeland security for decades, predating both

5313-542: Was also used in several weapons effects test in Operation Fishbowl , including Checkmate (20 October 1962, 10 kilotonnes of TNT (42 TJ) ), Bluegill Triple Prime (26 October 1962, 200 kilotonnes of TNT (840 TJ) ) and Kingfish (1 November 1962, 200 kilotonnes of TNT (840 TJ) ). Early production was achieved in March 1963. The final warhead was slightly overweight, but this was considered acceptable by

5390-508: Was body 14 inches (360 mm) in diameter and 15 + 3 ⁄ 8 inches (390 mm) in diameter at the mounting flange, 44 inches (1,100 mm) long and weighed 412 pounds (187 kg). The mounting flange was aluminium and shrunk-fit over the steel warhead case. The boosting gas bottle was mounted outside the pressure cover to enable replacement without breaking the warhead seal. The warhead electrical system contained two neutron generators. Three yield variants were produced, known as

5467-440: Was expected to be able to carry a warhead of about 300 pounds (140 kg) weight. Due to the complexity of the task, the study group split the work into two phases. In the first phase, mechanisms which would kill enemy warheads were examined, as would the lethal radii for those mechanisms for various yields. It was believed that these values could not be adequately defined for another two years as tests of target vulnerability and

5544-677: Was fired just prior to reentry, and when a deceleration of 0.5 g (4.9 m/s ) was sensed, the fuze was enabled and warhead arming functions took place. According to researcher Chuck Hansen, the W50's secondary stage was also used in the W78 Minuteman III warhead. The W78 is estimated to have a yield of 335 to 350 kilotonnes of TNT (1,400 to 1,460 TJ) and remains in the US nuclear stockpile. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory ( LLNL )

5621-549: Was initiated. In September, Sandia reported that the warheads electrical system would be similar to that of the W47 Polaris warhead and W49 warhead used on several ICBMs. In October 1958, Los Alamos and Sandia wrote to the Albuquerque Operations Office stating that a warhead for all four systems was possible. In the Pershing role, the now 650-pound (290 kg) heavy warhead would be provided by

5698-399: Was mid-1962. In May 1958 a Minuteman warhead study was completed with use of the same warhead as Nike Zeus suggested. Meanwhile for Pershing, two warheads of 300 pounds (140 kg) and 600 pounds (270 kg) were considered. For the 300-pound (140 kg) design, a diameter of 15 inches (380 mm) and a length of 40 inches (1,000 mm) was proposed and for the heavier warhead design,

5775-643: Was part of NNSA's efforts initiated in October 2006 to consolidate special nuclear material at five sites by 2012, with significantly reduced square footage at those sites by 2017. The federally mandated project intends to improve security and reduce security costs, and is part of NNSA's overall effort to transform the Cold War era "nuclear weapons" enterprise into a 21st-century "nuclear security" enterprise. The original date to remove all high-security nuclear material from LLNL, based on equipment capability and capacity,

5852-710: Was sited at a former naval air station from World War II . It was already home to several University of California Radiation Laboratory projects that were too large for its location in the Berkeley Hills above the UC campus, including one of the first experiments in the magnetic approach to confined thermonuclear reactions (i.e. fusion). About half an hour southeast of Berkeley, the Livermore site provided much greater security for classified projects than an urban university campus. Lawrence tapped his former graduate student Herbert York , age 32, to run Livermore. Under York,

5929-431: Was to be rugged, reliable and simple in design; be easy to test, inspect, store and handle; be designed to minimize the possibility of human error; and require a minimum of operational testing and maintenance. The warhead would be capable of remaining in alert condition, while loaded into an alert missile, for a period of a least four years, while being ready to fire in fifteen seconds. In August 1958, Sandia were asked if

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